1. You may identify the stasis in the play but it isn’t necessarily at the beginning of the play. Where is it and who does it involve?
The stasis of the play is prior to Jane drunkenly telling Hwang that Marcus played a white soldier in Go for Broke, this causes Hwang to begin to concoct the story about Marcus' ethnicity and start to spin his web of lies. 2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face and how is it broken?
The stasis is broken when Hwang emerges from his delusion that Marcus is Asian. When Marcus reveals to Jane in confidence that he was a white soldier in his last play, Jane stupidly tells Hwang which sets in motion the lies to try to save his production. Therefore, the intrusion is Hwangs discovery of Marcus' true identity. 3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
The unique factor that highlights Hwang's mistakes is that he had recently protested the casting of a white man in as an Asian character. Hwang's mistaken casting of Marcus would appear hypocritical since his name had been plastered across many newspapers for his radical and unpopular stance. Additionally, Face Vale, Hwang's new play, is about the issue that Asian American actors face concerning casting in comparison to White American actors. 4. State the dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question that must be answered is whether Hwang will tell the truth and face his mistake. Also the play must address whether or not Marcus will be able to keep up the charade. When the federal investigation begins, we begin to speculate whether Marcus and Hwang would tell the truth in order to help his father. 5. Use Hwang’s “character” to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Hwang wants to have s successful show that addresses minority casting issues. Also, he wants to get away with his deceit once it has began. Hwang is in conflict with both society and himself. His war with society begins when he has to take a stance about the casting issue in Broadway shows. His strong belief that they are not giving Asian American actors a fair chance drags him into the spotlight and plasters his name on media articles coupled with his unpopular opinion. Hwang is battling with himself because he knows that Marcus is white but, he js facing the moral dilemma of lying to his cast, the Asian community, and himself for the prosperity of his show and to not seem like a hypocrite. When the federal investigation begins, David is battling with the reporter to not incriminate himself or his father. He finds himself in another battle against society about white fear of Chinese espionage. This opens up his second inner dilemma if he will finally tell the truth to save his father. 6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Yellow Face.
One of the most theatrical moments, is when David finds out about Marcus' ethnicity. This provides information to what type of person Hwang is that he would crate this grand lie to save his production and save face rather than facing his mistakes. Second, when Marcus and David are talking to the students it shows that Marcus has taken his yellow face to heart and is going to continue the charade. When David is talking to his father it provides details about his father's strong faith in the American Dream and how he is blinded of the prjudice reality he truly faces. Next, Hwang's interaction with the named interviewer shows the options of white Americans about Chinese Americans during this time of fear of Chinese espionage as the interviewer states that being a white American is fundamentally different from being a Chinese American. The last theatrical moment is when Hwang breaks the forth wall and levels about his mistaken idea of face.
The stasis of the play is prior to Jane drunkenly telling Hwang that Marcus played a white soldier in Go for Broke, this causes Hwang to begin to concoct the story about Marcus' ethnicity and start to spin his web of lies.
2. Ball points out that the intrusion sometimes occurs late in the dramatic action. What is the intrusion that breaks the stasis in Yellow Face and how is it broken?
The stasis is broken when Hwang emerges from his delusion that Marcus is Asian. When Marcus reveals to Jane in confidence that he was a white soldier in his last play, Jane stupidly tells Hwang which sets in motion the lies to try to save his production. Therefore, the intrusion is Hwangs discovery of Marcus' true identity.
3. Why do the events of the play take place at this particular time and place? In other words, what is the unique factor that is out of the ordinary that causes a turn of events to take place? Hint: what is the heart of the play? How does the title figure in this?
The unique factor that highlights Hwang's mistakes is that he had recently protested the casting of a white man in as an Asian character. Hwang's mistaken casting of Marcus would appear hypocritical since his name had been plastered across many newspapers for his radical and unpopular stance. Additionally, Face Vale, Hwang's new play, is about the issue that Asian American actors face concerning casting in comparison to White American actors.
4. State the dramatic question that must be answered by the end of the play? (Ordinarily, the dramatic question shares a close connection with the intrusion.)
The dramatic question that must be answered is whether Hwang will tell the truth and face his mistake. Also the play must address whether or not Marcus will be able to keep up the charade. When the federal investigation begins, we begin to speculate whether Marcus and Hwang would tell the truth in order to help his father.
5. Use Hwang’s “character” to answer the questions concerning character. Ball says, a character is revealed by what he/she does, ie. The dramatic actions that are taken. Examine what these particular characters wants. The wants of a character often encounter obstacles that get in the way of achieving those wants. Ball says there are 4 kinds of obstacles that frustrate the wants of a character. They are: a. Me against myself, b. Me against another individual, c. Me against society (that is law, social norms, etc.) and, d. Me against fate, the universe, natural forces, God or the gods. In answering these questions be sure to point to the particular obstacles that demonstrate these obstacles facing each of the lawyers.
Hwang wants to have s successful show that addresses minority casting issues. Also, he wants to get away with his deceit once it has began. Hwang is in conflict with both society and himself. His war with society begins when he has to take a stance about the casting issue in Broadway shows. His strong belief that they are not giving Asian American actors a fair chance drags him into the spotlight and plasters his name on media articles coupled with his unpopular opinion. Hwang is battling with himself because he knows that Marcus is white but, he js facing the moral dilemma of lying to his cast, the Asian community, and himself for the prosperity of his show and to not seem like a hypocrite. When the federal investigation begins, David is battling with the reporter to not incriminate himself or his father. He finds himself in another battle against society about white fear of Chinese espionage. This opens up his second inner dilemma if he will finally tell the truth to save his father.
6. The most important information in most plays takes place during theatrical moments. Identify the most theatrical moments in Yellow Face.
One of the most theatrical moments, is when David finds out about Marcus' ethnicity. This provides information to what type of person Hwang is that he would crate this grand lie to save his production and save face rather than facing his mistakes. Second, when Marcus and David are talking to the students it shows that Marcus has taken his yellow face to heart and is going to continue the charade. When David is talking to his father it provides details about his father's strong faith in the American Dream and how he is blinded of the prjudice reality he truly faces. Next, Hwang's interaction with the named interviewer shows the options of white Americans about Chinese Americans during this time of fear of Chinese espionage as the interviewer states that being a white American is fundamentally different from being a Chinese American. The last theatrical moment is when Hwang breaks the forth wall and levels about his mistaken idea of face.